1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to storage and distribution modules or boxes for communication lines, particularly optical fibers and cables.
2. Discussion of the Known Art
Patent Application Pub. No. US 2012/0138214 (Jun. 7, 2012) and Pub. No. US 2012/0294580 (Nov. 22, 2012) both disclose an optical fiber storage module in which a fiber supply spool is mounted for storage with unwound (i.e., slack) fiber on the spool, after a length of fiber is unwound from the spool for installation at a customer's premises. A connector adapter is mounted inside the module to allow an end of the slack fiber on the spool to connect to a relatively short jumper cable that leads to an optical network terminal (ONT) located near the module inside the premises. The two published applications are owned by the assignee of the present application and are incorporated by reference. See Pub. No. US 2012/0020635 (Jan. 26, 2012) also owned by the present assignee and incorporated by reference, and Pub. No. US 2009/0074370 (Mar. 19, 2009) disclosing a fiber optic enclosure which contains a cable spool that engages a bearing mount for rotation inside the enclosure.
The optical network terminal or ONT is typically located close to a television set top box and/or modem that are served by way of a network provider cable that enters a customer's premises from outside. The point where the provider's cable enters the premises (e.g., through a wall above a front doorway) is usually distant from the location of the ONT inside the premises (e.g., a bedroom or living room), however. Thus, it would be desirable to provide a cable and fiber storage and distribution module that can be mounted unobtrusively inside the premises near the cable entry point, and which can also (i) store an excess or slack length of the entering provider cable, (ii) store a fiber supply spool containing slack windings of fiber after a leading length of the fiber is unwound for routing between the ONT and the module at the premises, and (iii) facilitate a connection between the slack provider cable and the slack fiber stored inside the module.